Muffin and bagel rack for electric toasters



Nov. 7, 1961 H. c. LE DOUX MUFFIN AND BAGEL RACK FOR ELECTRIC TOASTERS INVENTOR H E RB ERT C. LE

Filed Dec. 7, 1959 DOUX ATTORNEY United States This invention relates to toasting apparatus and more particularly to an accessory for electric toasters.

Ordinarily, small biscuits, such as muifins and bagels are diflicult to recover from the slots of electric toasters, often resulting in fragmentation of the biscuit, distasteful burning odors, and the like. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a convenient rack for use with electric toasters that is extremely simple in construction, efficient in operation, and which will overcome the aforementioned difiiculties.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a biscuit rack for electric toasters which will accommodate large and small articles alike, will enable such to be conveniently removed after being toasted, and which is completely safe to use.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable biscuit rack of the above type which can be readily cleaned, removed from the toaster, or otherwise stored when not in use.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the .accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a biscuit rack made in accordance with the present invention in actual use;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the device shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the assembly shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of certain parts of the present invention; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 55 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawing, a biscuit rack made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a pair of biscuit supporting platforms 12, each one of which is of generally U-shaped configuration having a pair of spaced apart, parallel, and upwardly extending sides 14 integral with the base thereof which define a channel 16 for conveniently positioning a bagel, muffin, or other biscuit 18 therewithin. The upwardly extending sides 20 of each such biscuit supporting platform have a pair of guide elements 22 integral With the uppermost free end thereof that slidably receive the depending legs 24 of a pair of spaced apart parallel guides which, in turn, are provided with guide elements 26 at their free ends which slidably receive the respective sides 20 of each such biscuit supporting platform 12. It will thus be observed that each biscuit supporting platform 12 is slidably carried upon the pair of depending legs 24 which are secured at their uppermost ends to end pieces 28 that straddle the space between the slots 29 of the electric toaster 31.

Each end piece 28 is provided with a pair of mounting posts 30 having a transversely extending pivot pin 32. One set of the mounting posts 30 pivotally supports a pair of handles 34, whereas the other one of the sets of mounting posts 30 pivotally supports a single handle 40. A pair of angle shaped grippers 36 are secured one to each one of the handles 34 at one end of the assembly, whereas a pair of similar angle shaped grippers 36 are secured to the single handle 40 at the opposite end of the assembly. Each one of the grippers 36 are provided with a depending leg which normally is co-extensive with the depending guides 2-4, directly above the atent ice positioning channel 16 of the biscuit supporting frame. Each such gripper 36 also includes a pair of inwardly directed flanges 38 that are substantially co-extensive with the flanges 14 of the frames 12. It will now be recognized that by actuation of any of the handles 34, 40, the associated gripper elements 36 are swingable into the general area of the supporting frames 12, within which the biscuit 18 may be supported. Accordingly, both hands may be used to effect inward swinging movement of the grippers 38 to grip one or both of the biscuits 18 being toasted within the toaster.

In actual use, the frames 12 remain within the slots 29 of the toaster 31, whereas the end pieces 28, depending guides 24, and gripper elements 36 may be moved relative thereto. Thus, in actual use, the biscuits 18 are permitted to drop into the slots 29 of the toaster and on to the supporting channel 16 of the frames 1-2. When it is desired to remove such biscuit or biscuits, it becomes only necessary to depress the single handle 40 and either one or both of the individual handles 34 at the opposite end of the assembly to engage one or both of the biscuits. By depression of the handles 40, 34, the grippers 36 are swung inwardly to engagement with either one or both of the biscuits 28 so that upon raising the end pieces 28, such biscuit or biscuits may be elevated with respect to the supporting channel 16 of the biscuit supporting frames which remain depressed within the interior of the slots 29, such relative sliding action between the sides 20 of the biscuit supporting frame and the guide legs 24 being accommodated by the sliding connection of the associated tie members 22, 26.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such is not to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is best defined by the claim appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

A rack for electric toasters adapted to support a hiscuit comprising, in combination, a pair of end pieces, a pair of spaced apart parallel guides carried by each one of said end pieces, each guide of each end piece forming a set of guides with a corresponding guide of the other one of said end pieces, a platform for supporting a biscuit slidably carried upon each set of said guides, a pair of grippers pivotally carried by each one of said end pieces, said grippers having portions movable into the biscuit supporting area of each said platform, each pair of said guides comprising a pair of laterally spaced apart legs depending from each said end piece, each said biscuit supporting platform comprising a substantially U-shaped frame slidably carried upon one of each pair of said legs, each said U-shaped frame comprising a base and a pair of spaced apart parallel sides, said base being of generally U-sh-aped cross section defining a cradle for supporting a biscuit to be toasted, each said gripper comprising a channel shaped member pivotally mounted at one end upon one of said end pieces and the opposite end of each said gripper extending alongside one of said sides of said respective U-shaped frame, one pair of said grippers being individually pivotally mounted upon one of said end pieces, and the other one of said pair of said grippers being secured together for simultaneous pivotal movement upon the other one of said end pieces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,391,599 Wood Sept. 20, 1921 1,433,977 Wolff Oct. 31, 1922 2,382,380 Buttner Aug. 14, 1945 2,497,205 Brewton Feb. 14, 1950 

